(mellow orchestral music)
(upbeat orchestral music)
- It must be stopped.
You and all the school-parent groups about the country,
and you must stand united on this,
and stamp out this frightful assassin of our youth.
You can do it by bringing about compulsory education
on the subject of narcotics in general,
but reef marihuana in particular.
That is the purpose of this meeting, ladies and gentlemen,
to lay the foundation for a nationwide campaign by you
to demand by law such compulsory education,
because it is only through enlightenment
that this scourge can be wiped out.
Out of the traffic in these drugs,
a lawlessness that we can scarcely estimate
has grown and is now flourishing.
It exists in almost every city and hamlet in the country.
It might be interesting
and important for you to know
some of the methods used
in bringing these drugs into the country
and the work of the forces of law and order,
which are daily combating the traffic,
always at the risk of life by their agents.
This ceaseless fight against the drug traffic
is directed by the Department of Narcotics, Washington.
I have received a letter of vital importance
from a member of the Narcotics Bureau.
I'm going to read this letter to you.
"My dear Dr. Carroll,
"the suppression of the use of marihuana
"and of the forces lurking behind it
"are the most important jobs
"this department is now engaged in.
"At the outset of this letter,
"there is one vital fact I would like to submit.
"There is a powerful agency.
"I speak of the school-parent associations
"of this country, which can be invaluable
"in stamping out this scourge.
"Their help, their eternal vigilance
"could be the deciding factor in our fight against it.
"The weed marihuana is grown in every state in the Union.
"Recently, in the city of Brooklyn, New York,
"a field of marihuana was found behind a tenement court.
"The weed was here being cultivated,
"regularly stripped, and dried and sold in schools
"and at government army posts in and around New York.
"The dried leaves and berries are ground up
"and made into cigarettes by a simple hand machine.
"The deadly narcotic is thus quickly
"and easily prepared for its market.
"The sale of marihuana is even more difficult
"to detect and halt than the traffic in drugs
"such as opium, morphine, and heroin.
"They are hidden in fake jewelry cases,
"in the heels of shoes, women's shoes especially,
"because the drugs can be secreted in false heels.
"Hollowed shaving brushes are another medium.
"Books with false centers are often used.
"Watch cases are convenient hiding places.
"The value of drugs thus seized is enormous.
"Recently, a huge supply of heroin was taken.
"It was concealed in an apparently harmless shipment
"of 35 barrels of olive oil.
"The deadly drug was burned in the incinerator
"of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
"And more vicious, more deadly even than these
"soul-destroying drugs is the menace of marihuana.
No doubt, many of you do not believe
that these things do happen,
that they cannot happen to you.
You may also believe that the facts have been exaggerated.
Let me tell you of something
that happened right here in our own city.
You probably read about it in the papers.
However, I'll give you the real facts behind the case.
There was an apartment near one of our high schools.
It was run by a woman known as Mae Coleman.
- Hey.
Come on, Mae, get up.
- What time is it?
- Time to get up and give this place a going over.
It looks like the marines had landed.
- That bunch last night was high enough
to take over the marines and the navy.
- You better get on the job.
Some of the kids may be up this afternoon.
- Oh, Jack, we can get along without dragging
those young kids up here.
- Oh, why don't you button up your lips?
You're always squawking about something.
You got more static than a radio.
(door slams shut)
(buzzing)
Ah, greetings.
- Well, hello, fella, how are you?
- Fine, how are you?
Come in, come in.
- Glad to be here.
(door slams)
- [Male Visitor] Is, er, Mae in?
- She'll be right here.
Just sit down, make yourself comfortable.
- Hey, what kind of a joint is this, Eddie?
- Oh, it's all right, Gwen.
See, they probably had a party last night.
- Ah.
- [Jack] A couple of your customers, Mae.
- Yeah?
They're old enough to know what they're doing.
Not like those young kids you bring up here.
- All right, all right.
Listen, I'm gonna blow.
- Where are you going?
- I gotta make some deliveries
and I'll probably drop by Joe's place
and bring back a couple of the kids.
- Oh, I wish you'd lay off those kids.
- Oh, why don't you get over that mother complex?
- Oh, by the way, Ralph,
I'm sort of giving a little party
Saturday afternoon over at my grandmother's.
You know the place with a swimming pool?
Like to come?
- Thanks, Eddie, maybe I will.
- I'd sure like to have you.
- Okay, I'll probably drop over.
- So long, Ralph. - See you later.
- [Jack] Hey, Ralph.
Hi, kid.
- Hi, Jack, and you? - Oh, great.
Where you headed? - Oh.
Hey, how do you like that?
That's the one I was telling you about.
- Very nice.
- I don't know why you wanna make
such a fuss over that Ralph Wiley.
- Oh, he's a swell swimmer.
He made the freshman team at college.
- Yeah, and that let him out.
My dad knows his family.
None of them are any good.
Father and mother just got a divorce in Paris.
- Yeah?
- You know, Ralph runs around pretty much on his own.
He's been in a couple of jams.
- Well, I only kind of say hello to him.
I don't go around with him.
- Well, you better not,
he's a little too old for us.
That's what my dad said.
- Hello, Mary.
How are you, Bill? - How are you, Ralph?
- Hey, hello, Ralph.
You know my brother, Jimmy, don't you?
- How are you? - Swell.
- I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Jack Perry.
Mary, Bill.
- How are you? - How do you do?
- Glad to know you.
- We're going over to Joe's place.
Why don't you come along?
- We have a date to play a set of doubles.
- [Ralph] Or you can play any time
Come on, we'll have some laughs.
- Oh, we can't today, Ralph.
Some other time.
- Can I go along with you? - Sure.
- Hey, I'll see you at dinner, sis.
- Don't be late, Jimmy. - I won't.
(swing music)
- Jimmy, Jimmy. - Hi, Agnes.
Hey, he ain't no paper man.
- Why, don't you know him?
That's Hot Fingers Pirelli.
- Boy, he really swings out hot with a mess of jive.
Do you wanna dance? - Do I?
(swing music)
(Agnes laughing)
- Mae is expecting us at the apartment a little later.
- Any new prospects?
- Maybe.
(swing music)
(upbeat piano music)
- Oh, Jimmy, you're wonderful.
- You're just finding that out?
- Why can't we go now? - Hmm, good.
Say, kids, we're having a little party
at my girlfriend's apartment.
Wouldn't you like to come?
- Oh, I'd love to.
You wanna come, don't you, Jimmy?
- Oh, sure.
Any place with you.
- Oh, come on, we can all go in my car.
- [Ralph] See you later, Joe.
- [Mary] It's sweet of you to help me, Bill.
- I'll show you anything except domestic science.
- I see, don't you wanna learn something about running your own home?
- The answer is no.
You know, after that session we had yesterday,
I went home and told Mother
that the trouble with her pot roast gravy was
she hadn't added three heaping teaspoonfuls of olive oil.
- What did she say?
- She didn't say anything.
She just threw me out of the kitchen.
- I don't wonder.
- Hello, children.
- Hello, mother. - Hello, Mrs. Lane.
- That was sweet of you, mother.
- Gosh, hot chocolate!
Thanks, Mrs. Lane.
- [Mrs. Lane] I know you can't study on empty stomach.
Go on and enjoy yourselves.
- He will. - She will, too, Mrs. Lane.
May I?
- Oh, thank you, kind sir.
You're so very, very kind.
- Mary, before we do that math,
how about reading some of this?
It's swell.
- Romeo and Juliet?
- Don't you like it? - Uh-huh.
- You know, when I study this, I kinda think of you.
I just thought I feel as though you're there beside me.
Listen.
It is my soul that calls upon thy name.
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night.
Like softest music to attending ears.
- Romeo! - My dear?
- What o'clock tomorrow shall I send to thee?
- By the hour of nine. - I will not fail.
'Tis 20 years till then.
- Well, I'll see you tonight, Mary.
Bye, Mrs. Lane.
- Goodbye, Bill. - So long.
(yelping) (gasping)
- Oh, Bill!
- I guess I'm all right.
Bye, bye.
- Hey, Daddy. - Oh, Junior.
- Hey, Dad, you got anything for me?
- Don't bother your father every night.
- Have you?
- There you are.
- What made you so late, Bill?
I was getting worried.
- Oh, I had to study, Ma.
- He was not.
I saw him, Ma, walking with his girl.
Bill's got a girl.
He's got a girl.
- Ma, make him cut it out. - Junior!
- Well, Bill has got a girl. - Quiet.
And put that candy away till after dinner.
Henry, you shouldn't have given it to him.
- Well, I haven't got a girlfriend
and the name is Mary.
- I'll shut you up.
- Bill, Junior, quit that carrying on.
Junior!
- [Henry] Oh, let them alone.
They're all right, they're young.
- [Junior] Mary's little lamb.
Mary's little lamb.
I didn't mean it, Bill, honest, I didn't.
- Oh, well, what I'm burned up about is that
you didn't say Bill has a swell girl.
- Gee, it must be love.
She has to be swell for you to like her.
- Uh-huh, sounds like you want something.
Come on, what is it?
- Well, it's my model airplane.
It won't work.
Gosh, Bill, you could fix it.
You can fix anything.
- (laughs) Okay, I'll fix it.
- Hey, dad, read me the funny papers, will you?
- Got it, you got it.
- [Jimmy] Hey, Bill.
- Oh, hello, Jimmy.
- Mary told me to wait and tell you
she's got to go home.
Her mother wanted her to go to the dressmaker with her.
- Oh, thanks, Jimmy.
Hmm, must be getting grown up.
I see Mary let you have the car.
- Yeah.
Can I take you any place?
- I wasn't going any place in particular.
- Well, then, how about driving over
to Joe's the place with me?
I'll buy you a soda.
- I never drink that stuff.
- Okay, I'll buy you something else.
- Okay, you're on the hook for one root beer.
- Swell.
- Hi, Bill, hi, Jimmy.
What'd you have?
- [Ralph] Hey, Jimmy.
- [Blanche] Hello, Jimmy, hello, Bill.
Come on, slide in.
- Hello, Blanche, hello, Ralph, how are you?
- Two sodas, no, I mean one soda and one root beer.
How's Mae?
- Oh, she's fine.
We're going up to her apartment later.
- Couldn't Bill come along? - Mmm-hmm.
- I don't know-- - Come on, Bill,
you'll get a kick out of it.
- Thanks, but-- - Oh, come on, Bill.
Mary won't be jealous.
- [Jimmy] Why, sure, a lot of the kids
will be there entertained.
- I don't know, I really shouldn't.
Well, okay.
(upbeat piano music)
(laughing)
(buzzing)
- Hi, kids. - Hello, Jack.
What do you say?
- Yeah, come on in.
- Hi, Agnes. (laughing)
- Come on, Bill, don't stand there.
- [Agnes] Hillbilly, hillbilly, hillbilly.
(laughing)
- Hi, kids.
- Mae, this is Bill Harper.
He's okay.
- Hello.
- Well, if you say so, he's all right with me.
I'll be back in a minute.
Hiya, kids, how ya doing?
- [Boy] Okay, hiya, Mae.
- There's a new one in today.
- Yeah, Bill Harper.
He's all right.
Blanche has got herself quite a yen for him.
- Hmm, not bad.
I didn't think she had that much taste.
- She knows what she's doing.
She's got Ralph not to bother her
and now she's got her hooks out for this new kid.
- Hey, we haven't many more smokes.
You'd better go on over and get some.
- Why couldn't you find that out
when I was here this morning?
Now I've got my car in the shop.
- Well, what of it?
That kid out there, Jimmy.
He's got a car, he'll take you.
Come on, get going, hurry up.
- Hey, Jimmy. - Yup?
- I've got to run over to Cedar Avenue for a minute.
You've got a car, haven't you?
- Why, yeah, my sister's.
- Mind giving me a lift?
- Why sure, come on. - Okay.
(swing music)
- No, thank you.
- Well, here we are. - Oh, thanks.
- Oh, Mae, don't forget me.
- I never forget you.
- Oh dear, if you want a good smoke,
try one of these.
I thought you were a sport.
Of course, if you're afraid.
That's better, that's more like it.
I know you'll like it really well.
Just take a puff of it.
(laughing)
- Just be a minute, kid.
- Hey, Jack, give me a cigarette before you go, will you?
- Hello, Jack. - Hiya, Boss.
- How's business?
- Getting better everyday.
Those kids sure go for it.
- Swell.
- Had to run over for a couple more cartons.
Ran short today.
- All right.
Danny?
Pack 10 gross for Jack Perry.
Who?
Pete Daley?
All right, send him in.
It's all right, stay where you are.
- I wanna talk to you.
- All right, go ahead, Jack's okay.
What's the beef?
- Listen, you never heard no beef
when I had to sell that rotten gin.
- Right for the dough, aren't you?
- Yeah, but I don't need dough that bad.
Taking two-bit pieces from kids.
- There are millions of two-bit pieces
just begging to be taken.
Don't be a dope.
- I'm just doped enough to draw the line
selling after kids.
- All right, Pete.
You know what my policy has always been.
If the boys are not satisfied,
I'm always glad to have them retire.
Retire permanently.
So long.
- I only wish you had a couple of kids
so I could-- - Get out!
All right, Jack, pick up your stuff from Danny.
It'll be ready by then.
- Okay, boss.
- Let's go, Jack, I'm red-hot.
- Better be careful how you drive
or the first thing you know you'll be ice cold.
(engine roaring)
Take it easy, kid.
Slow down, you'll kill somebody.
(tires screech)
- Mary, you're not eating your breakfast again.
Bill Harper hasn't been around lately.
Anything wrong between you two?
- Why should there be anything wrong?
- There shouldn't be, I'm sure.
And whatever it is isn't serious, I know.
- I'm sorry, mother, for snapping at you like that.
- Don't worry about it, dear.
Why don't you speak frankly to Bill?
He'll be honest, whatever the trouble is.
I'm sure Bill Harper never lied about anything.
- Yes, that's right.
Bill's mother says he never lies.
- There, you see?
- You think it'd be all right if,
if I speak to him about it?
- Why, of course.
Oh, Jimmy.
- Hello, Ma.
Sit down, darling, and I'll have your breakfast
for you in a moment.
- Jimmy, there's something worrying you?
- What have I got to worry about?
- Why don't you tell me?
- Oh, for Pete's sake, don't start
to cross-examine me, will you?
I'm all right.
- Jimmy!
Don't let Mother see you like that.
- There is no doubt that there is an organized gang
distributing the narcotic to students,
not only in my school, but all over the city.
You government men have got to find
some way to put an end to it.
- Of course, I agree with you, Dr. Carroll.
But do you realize that marihuana
is not like other forms of dope?
You see, it grows wild in almost every state in the Union.
Therefore, there is practically
no inter-state commerce in the drug.
As a result, the government's hands are tied.
And frankly, the only sure cure
is a widespread campaign in education.
- Oh, it's all right to talk about education, Mr. Wyatt?
But we educators can't do anything
until the public is sufficiently aroused.
- Let me show you something.
In 1930, the records on marihuana
in the Washington office of the Narcotics Division
scarcely filled a small folder like this.
Today, they fill cabinets.
All of these, devoted to marihuana records.
Here is an example.
A 16-year-old lad,
apprehended in the act of staging a holdup,
16 years old and a marihuana addict.
Here is the most tragic case.
- Yes, I remember.
Just a young boy.
Under the influence of the drug,
he killed his entire family with an axe.
- Then there is the most vicious type of case.
Here.
In Michigan, a young girl, 17 years old,
a reefer smoker, taken in a raid
in the company with five young men.
Here is a particularly flagrant case.
- Yes, I remember.
The newspapers made quite a play of it.
In West Virginia, wasn't it?
- Yes, and there are hundreds of them coming up,
new ones everyday.
- I'd like to take these records, if I may.
I feel they would be of invaluable assistance to me
in combating the evil in my school.
- You're very welcome, Dr. Carroll.
- Thank you.
Sit down, Bill.
There seems to be something wrong.
What is it?
You were always a fine student.
You always had excellent grades.
- I guess the work is getting a little harder, Dr. Carroll.
- No, no, it isn't that.
Bill, I'd like to help you.
But of course, I can't unless you let me.
You're undermining your health.
- There's nothing, Dr. Carroll, really there isn't.
I'll study harder, honest.
- Honest?
If you were being honest with me
and honest with yourself,
I'm afraid you'd tell me an entirely different story.
Bill, I'm going to ask you a straightforward question,
and I'd like to have a straightforward answer.
- [Bill] Yes, sir.
- Isn't it true that you have, perhaps unwillingly,
acquired a certain harmful habit
through association with certain undesirable people?
Well?
- No, sir, I haven't, Dr. Carroll.
Well, that is, you see, I'm...
I'm worried about something at home.
- All right, my boy.
We'll just have to let it go at that.
But remember, if you ever want to confide in me,
no one will ever be the wiser.
- Thank you, Dr. Carroll.
- Hello, Mary, want to play a set?
- Thanks, Teddy, but I'm waiting for someone.
- Look, if you're waiting for Bill,
he hasn't been here for weeks.
- Come on, Jimmy, play something hot.
- [Jimmy] Okay.
(laughing)
(merry piano music) (laughing)
- Come on, Billy!
Dance with me!
(laughing)
- Didn't take that kid long to catch on.
- Don't take any of them long.
Hey, don't you ever get fed?
- You're feeding me, can't you see?
Give me a knife and fork, will you?
- Get it yourself.
(bangs chair)
(laughing)
(door slams)
(laughing)
- Come on, Bill.
Come on.
(laughing)
Come on, Bill. (laughing)
Come on. (laughing)
Come on.
(laughing)
(upbeat piano music)
(laughing)
- Good morning, miss, we're with the police department.
- Good morning.
- We're tracing a hit-and-run driver.
Someone caught the license number
at the place of the accident,
but they didn't get it quite right.
So we're checking all numbers like it
and yours is one of them.
- Well, I'll try to help you.
- Do you remember what you did on the 29th of last month?
- That was the day before mother's birthday.
Oh, yes, I remember that because I left school
and went directly to the dressmakers with mother.
I was there all afternoon.
- Did you happen to loan your car to a couple of men?
- No, no, I had the car all afternoon myself.
- Thanks, Miss, sorry to have troubled you.
- Tell me, did they,
was the person killed?
- Fortunately, he wasn't, but that's still
no excuse for hit-and-run driving.
- Has Jimmy Lane been here today?
- He was in.
He went over to Mae's place.
You know where that is.
- Well, he was gonna wait for me here,
so he didn't give me Mae's address.
Are you sure Jimmy didn't leave
any message for me, Mary?
- No, he didn't.
But I guess you're okay.
I'll write it down for you.
(buzzing)
- Mary, come right in.
- Is Jimmy here?
- Oh, why, he is around somewhere.
I think he went out to take Agnes home.
But he'll be right back.
Come in and sit down, Mary.
And let me take your coat.
- Who's the new kid just came in?
- Oh, it's that gal that Ralph's gone overboard for.
- Funny, we've never been able to get her up here before.
- Hey, hey, scram, will ya?
Smoke, Mary?
- Thanks.
Are you sure Jimmy will be back soon?
- Sure, any minute.
(moans)
(giggling)
(both laughing)
- Say, what's the matter?
Am I an orphan?
- Where do you put it?
You got a hollow leg?
- Thanks, dear.
- How do you feel, Mary?
Oh, Mary, give me a kiss. - Don't.
- Mary. - No, don't!
Please help me.
- Oh, Mary.
- You leave me alone. (whimpering)
Go away!
- Mary, everybody's-- (yelping)
- Leave me alone.
Oh, leave me alone!
Please!
- Everything's over. - Leave me be!
(Mary screaming)
(punching) (clattering)
(gun fires)
- Ralph!
Ralph!
Look.
- Jack, is she all right?
- She's dead.
Mae, get me some water.
Now listen, you two.
I want you to get out of here.
Get out of here and forget
you were ever in here today.
I'll handle this.
Now get going.
Give it to me.
Here.
- Mary.
(thud)
Mary.
Mary!
What happened?
- You killed her.
- (sobbing) Mary.
Oh, Mary.
- Look, after I scram, you call the cops.
And this is your story, remember it.
These two kids came up here for a couple of beers.
You're up in the kitchen, you heard the shot.
When you got in here, that's what you found.
Just stick to that story.
- Mary.
Mary, speak to me.
Mary.
(mellow piano music)
(woman laughing)
- Hello, Jack.
- I was just talking to a friend of mine.
A cop.
Sergeant on the homicide squad.
The guy you hit that day died.
- Died?
You, I mean you didn't-- - No.
I didn't crack, and I'm not going to.
Nobody will ever know you were driving that car.
- Thanks, Jack.
- After this moment, you keep you mouth shut
that you were ever up in Mae's apartment.
- Why sure, Jack, sure.
- Okay.
- Your honor, I'd like to recall
Dr. Alfred Carroll to the stand.
- Call Dr. Alfred Carroll to the stand.
- Dr. Carroll, as principal of the Lakeside High School,
did you, during the last three months,
notice any changes in the demeanor and attitude
of your student, William Harper?
- Yes, in a number of things.
For example, at times, disassociation of ideas.
In another instance, I happened to attend
the recent inter-scholastic tennis matches.
And while Bill Harper had been considered
an exceedingly good player,
I saw him miss the ball
by as much as three or four feet.
This, I understand, could be attributed
to the use of marihuana.
It causes errors in time and space.
- [Defendant's Lawyer] Objection, your honor!
The witness isn't qualified to express opinions
upon the effects of narcotics.
- Sustained.
Dr. Carroll has been called merely as a character witness.
- Well then, although you didn't know
to your own knowledge
that the defendant was using marihuana,
did you notice any changes
that would lead you to believe, as an educator,
that he was under some severe mental strain
which might possibly have been induced by some drug?
- Yes, I recall distinctly, a few weeks ago.
It was during a class of English literature.
There was a serious discussion
of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet,
when he suddenly burst into
an uncontrollable fit of hysterical laughter.
- Oh, by the way, Dr. Carroll, six months ago,
what would have been your opinion
regarding the character of my client?
- He was a fine, upstanding American boy,
a good scholar, a good athlete,
and representative of the caliber of young men
we are proud to graduate from our school.
- Oh, snap out of it, will you?
It's not our fault.
Why'd I ever bring him up there, anyway?
He's just a kid.
They can't hang him.
- Shut up, shut up!
- Why don't you let yourself go?
Talk.
Go off your nuts and have me that way, too.
It's his own fault, wasn't it?
- Shut up!
They've got us hidden out, haven't they?
The cops can't find us.
- Jack, Jack, I wanna get out of this place.
- You're gonna stay here as long as we have to keep
those two out there under cover.
Till the trial's over,
or the boss gets a better idea.
- But they're getting on my nerves.
- It can't last much longer.
I'm not worried about her.
We gotta keep him gagged.
- He's about ready to crack.
- What you're gonna do is keep him
from having too many reefers.
- Any day now, that punk will get hot.
He'll probably spill and tell all he knows
if he gets the chance.
- I don't think he'll get it.
I'll see you later.
- Where are you going?
- I'm gonna see the boss.
- Hello, Jack. - Hello, Boss.
What are we gonna do about that Wiley guy?
- Still jittery, huh?
- I don't know what the punk's gonna do.
- Keep feeding him with hot sticks.
- That's what Mae's been doing.
That's no good.
I got a hunch that he's due to crack
when that Harper verdict comes in.
He's down the tee, he's about to take a powder on us
and blow his topper to the D.A.
- You mean you think we'd all be better off
if he never heard the verdict?
Well, what are you waiting for?
- You, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
have a duty to perform,
a duty to yourselves and to our community.
Mary Lane is dead.
The evidence you've heard at this trial
could not have failed to convince you
of the guilt of the defendant.
By his own admission,
he pressed the trigger of the weapon
that sent lovely and innocent Mary Lane
to a tragic and untimely death.
(sobbing)
We are not so much concerned
about the motives behind the deed
as to the deed itself.
While the defendant has told you
that he saw someone attacking Mary Lane,
and that his mind went blank from that moment on,
the defense has been unable to produce
one witness to substantiate that statement.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
you've heard able men testify at this trial,
men who have tried to bring out the fact
that the defendant might have become momentarily insane
when he fired the shot that killed Mary Lane.
But the defense has been unable to prove that he was insane.
William Harper was sane when he visited the apartment
where the tragedy occurred.
He was on the habit of visiting the place.
He was sane when he went to a bedroom
with another young woman.
You all heard what went on in that room.
You heard it from the defendant's own lips.
Involved as he was in a tawdry love affair,
Mary Lane was in the way.
She had found him out.
In a moment of anger,
he deliberately and willfully killed her.
If such deeds are permitted to go unpunished,
this community would cease to be a decent and safe place
for us or our children to live.
I do not believe I have to plead, or even demand,
that you bring in a verdict to punish the defendant
for the crime that he has committed against society.
You are upright citizens.
That is why you were chosen to judge another.
And as honest, upright citizens,
there is only one verdict which you can find.
And that is a verdict of Guilty.
(bangs gavel)
- [Judge] And this court will be adjourned
until the jury's verdict is reached.
(chattering)
- I suppose you all feel the same about this case.
- But he might have been insane while he did it.
- No, he wasn't, he knew what he was doing.
- But supposing he was insane?
- You can never make me believe it or anybody else.
We'll take a first vote.
11 for conviction, one for acquittal.
- But there's a reasonable doubt
about the boy's sanity.
We can't-- - No doubt about the fact
that he murdered her.
He admitted it himself.
That wasn't the first time he was there.
We gotta make an example
before boys like that contaminate all of our children.
We can't have every murderer hiding
behind the gag that he's insane.
Sure, they see red before they kill somebody.
But whose fault is it?
- Have you reached a verdict?
- We have.
- The defendant will rise.
What is your verdict?
- We find the defendant guilty as charged.
- No!
No. (sobbing)
(chattering)
(gentle piano music)
- Stop that racket.
Stop it!
- What's the matter with you?
You give me the creeps.
(breathing heavily)
- Mae.
Mae!
- What do you want?
- Bring me some reefers.
(gentle piano music)
They're going to hang him.
Blanche, they're going to hang him.
- Oh, come on, get a hold of yourself.
(sobbing)
- Here you are.
(sobbing and laughing)
Well, cut that crazy laughing.
- Where's Jack?
I wanna get out of here.
- They'll pick you up and hang you
if you don't pipe down.
- I wanna see Jack.
Jack.
I wanna see Jack.
Jack.
- You'd better quiet him.
- I can't do anything with him.
- I've got to see Jack.
We can't let that kid hanged.
(breathing nervously)
- He'll be here, don't worry.
He'll be here in a little while.
- I've got to see him.
I've got to.
(gentle piano music)
(sobbing)
- Come on, darling.
Everything will be over soon.
You want me to play something for you?
- Yeah, yeah, that's it.
Play something.
- All right.
Come on.
Sit down.
(gentle piano music)
Honey, give me a smoke, will you?
(piano music crescendos)
(fast-beat piano music)
- Faster.
Faster!
Play faster!
(fast-beat piano music)
Faster.
Play faster.
Faster.
(door slams)
I know what you want.
You wanna kill me.
- You're crazy.
Take it easy, kid.
I just wanna talk to you.
(screaming) (thud)
(screaming)
(laughing)
(screaming and laughing)
- Hurry, hurry!
There's a terrible fight going on.
Yes, yes, apartment 32.
(sobbing)
- Stop it, stop it!
Let go of me!
Take your hands off of me.
Stop it.
Take your hands off me.
- [Officer] Stop it!
(Blanche yells)
- Give me a glass of water.
- [Officer] Who's behind you?
- No, no, no.
- [Officer] You're hanged if you don't talk!
- No, no.
- [Officer] Who hired you and Jack Perry?
Are you ready to tell what you know?
- Yes.
(gasps)
(fast-beat music)
(bike engines roaring)
- If we can gain some measure of leniency for my client,
she's prepared to enter a plea of Guilty,
and in addition, turn state evidence
in the case of William Harper.
- I regret that this court is not prepared
to bargain with justice.
- I'll tell anyway.
I was there, I saw it.
I know who killed Mary.
And I'll tell you who killed Mary Lane.
It wasn't Bill.
It was Jack.
Jack Perry.
He shot Mary Lane and he put the gun in Bill's hand.
We were all at the apartment one afternoon.
And Mary came in looking for her brother.
Bill and I, we'd been in another room.
And Bill came in, he caught Ralph with Mary.
Then they started to fight.
But it was Jack who had the gun.
He was going to hit Bill over the head with it
to make him stop.
And then, then the gun went off.
I saw it.
I can see it now. (sobbing)
It was horrible!
Before we knew it, Mary,
Mary was dead.
But you see, Judge,
Bill didn't know he hadn't killed Mary.
He was so doped up, they made him think he had.
Ralph wanted to tell you, too.
Oh, if they'd only let him.
But this is the truth, Judge.
I'm telling you the truth.
After Jack saw that Mary was dead,
he put the gun in Bill's hand.
It was Jack's fault.
And it was my fault, too.
I got all of them to come up to the apartment.
I'm just as much to blame. (sobbing)
I am.
(crying)
- Do I understand you wish to plead guilty
to a charge of fostering moral delinquency
in the case of William Harper?
- Yes, yes, I'm guilty, I am. (crying)
- Prepare a statement for signature,
and also an order setting aside the jury's verdict
in the case of the People versus William Harper.
In the interest of justice,
I shall direct a verdict of Not Guilty.
(typewriter keys clicking)
Sign here, please.
You shall be brought into court on Thursday, the 17th,
when sentence will be pronounced.
Meanwhile, you will be held as a material witness
in the case of the People versus Ralph Wiley.
(somber orchestral music)
(shifts to fast-beat music)
(crashing) (screaming)
We have come in the hearings before this court today
to what I hope will be the final actions
revolving about an unhappy and unfortunate case,
one whose horrible tragedy will forever remain with me.
I am happy to have been enabled,
before it was too late,
to order the verdict of the jury
in the case of the People versus William Harper
to be set aside.
But, young man, although this court is convinced
that to declare you guilty would have been
a gross miscarriage of justice,
we cannot condone your acts.
And we can express only the hope that your experiences
may not alone keep you, but thousands of others,
from the vicious pitfalls of marihuana.
Thus, I am ordering you to remain in this court
during the next case,
so that you will be obliged to witness
what you yourself so narrowly escaped.
Call the case of the People versus Ralph Wiley.
- [Man] Bill.
- [Woman] Bill.
- Your honor, in this case the State
waives trial of the defendant, Ralph Wiley.
It is convinced that he is hopelessly and incurably insane
A condition caused by the drug marihuana, to which he was addicted.
It is recommended, your honor, that the defendant
be placed in an institution for the criminally insane
for the rest of his natural life.
The defendant's counsel joins the State in this request.
- Since counsel for the defense
as well as counsel for the State
seem to agree on this,
I see no reason why the request should not be granted.
- Yes, that happened right here, to your neighbors.
It is not too much to say that in your hands
lies the possibility of averting other tragedies like it.
We must work untiringly so that our children
are obliged to learn the truth,
because it is only through knowledge
that we can safely protect them.
Failing this, the next tragedy
may be that of your daughter,
or your son,
or yours,
or yours.
(somber orchestral music)
brought to you by viketube Dec. 2018
donations always welcome :)
... you could e.g. paypal me a couple of bucks...
at aymeric @ get2net dot dk ;)
thx for supporting independent work!